Instances where people accidentally stumble upon treasures on their property or at the beach are not uncommon! Once, a man found a coin on the beach using a metal detector and later discovered it was worth 6 million dollars! And there are coins out there that could be worth an entire inheritance of many generations! How do they look and what makes them valuable? Read on to find out. 

Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle: $20,212,100

And our list opens with one of the most expensive coins in the world! Its face value is only $20, but today its worth is estimated at over $20 million! Incredible, isn't it? 

@Wikimedia Commons

By the way, these coins weren't created all that long ago - they were minted from 1907 to 1933 and were made of gold! However, in 1933, it was decided to transition from gold coins to paper money - which is why production of such coins ceased, making them a true rarity today!

1787 Brasher Doubloon: $9,036,000

This intriguing specimen is valued at approximately half the price of the previous one - around $10 million. But agree, it's still an astonishing amount, especially for such a small coin. So what's its secret? 

@Michael Bradley/November 8, 2023/luxe.digital

The Brasher Doubloon of 1787 is the first gold coin ever struck in the United States! With such historical significance, it's no wonder it commands such a high price today. Its creator, Ephraim Brasher, minted only seven of these coins, but only one bears his initials, "EB". Naturally, this particular coin, being the most coveted in the collection, was sold in 2021 for $9.36 million!

723 Umayyad Gold Dinar: $5,418,400

This valuable coin is the gold dinar of the Umayyad Caliphate from the year 723 AD! As you can see, it's slightly less valued than the previous specimens, despite having a history that spans 1300 years!

@January 20 2019/coinsweekly.com

Overall, this Arabic coin is one of the most valuable foreign coins. And of course, many are curious about the inscription on it, which translates as “Mine of the Commander of the Faithful in the Hijaz.”

2007 1 Million Canadian Gold Maple Leaf: $5,315,400

Another specimen that made it onto the list of the world's most expensive coins is this one from Canada, which was minted not too long ago - in 2007, to be precise. Only six pieces were ever minted.

@THRIVE/opensea.io

This coin even made it into the Guinness World Records as the largest gold coin in the world. It features Queen Elizabeth II, which is unusual considering it's not a British coin.

1894-S Barber Dime: $2,412,200

By the name of the coin, it's already clear the year it was issued. But let's note that this coin wasn't meant for general circulation, as only 24 specimens were ever minted. Considering such a small quantity, it was likely produced for the most influential people of the 19th century. 

@Michael Bradley/November 8, 2023/luxe.digital 

Today, collectors are willing to pay a hefty sum for such a coin. Interestingly, it's known that only 9 of these coins have survived to this day - but where are the rest? Perhaps they could still be found somewhere on a beach with a metal detector!